A new multi-million pound community hospital aiming to care for patients from Brentwood, Billericay and Wickford has been given the go ahead.
The hospital proposed for the existing Brentwood Community Hospital site in Crescent Drive was given the unanimous backing of councillors on Brentwood's Planning Development Control Panel - despite residents raising fears over funding and access.
In a long debate on whether to approve outline planning permission for the new hospital, councillors refused to bow to complaints from protesters that the project was not properly costed and would damage the residential nature of the area.
The new development proposed by Billericay, Brentwood and Wickford Primary Care Trust (PCT) would mean the demolition of the existing 1930s community hospital building and would require a "sizable incursion" into the Green Belt.
However, councillors on the panel argued the health benefits provided by the new facility met the criteria for "very special circumstances" in breaking Green Belt guidelines.
Council leader, Cllr Vicky Cook, said: "We have been neglected in relation to health services for many years and have always been on the periphery. It is so rare to hear of a new hospital being built which is going to provide services for residents locally.
"If we do not grasp this opportunity we will be doing a disservice to the residents of this borough."
The move to approve the plans was boosted by news that the county planner, who had originally opposed the application, now viewed it as acceptable.
However, residents were not persuaded by the PCT's argument. Michael Bishop, from the local residents association, said parking and traffic were serious issues: "This development will have a major detrimental impact on our living environment yet we were only made aware of this meeting on Friday following a great deal of evasive and misleading information from the PCT over the past couple of months."
Although all councillors supported the application they said it should be approached carefully when a detailed planning application was submitted.
Councillors also had to approve the required sightlines at the two access points from Crescent Drive.
PCT chairman, Angela Bloomfield, said after the meeting: "This represents an enormous step forward in delivering better healthcare for local people."
Published Monday, June 2, 2003
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